1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image outline determination method of determining an outline of an original image placed on a reading surface of a scanner in accordance with image data obtained by the scanner, an image outline determination apparatus for implementing the image outline determination method as mentioned above, an image outline determination program storage medium storing an image outline determination program which causes a computer to operate as such an image outline determination apparatus, an image input apparatus for controlling the scanner to receive image data obtained through the scanner, and an image input program storage medium storing an image input program which causes a computer to operate as such an image input apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, it often happens that as a device for an input of an original image on which printing and an image printed out is based, generally, there is used a scanner for reading an image to obtain image data. Editing for creating a printed matter is performed by a combination of the image data obtained by the scanner and various sentences and illustrations, a set up is applied to image data obtained by the editing so that a good image quality of printed image or printing image can be obtained, and the printed image or the printing image are created in accordance with the image data after the set up. The set up implies processing for converting image data so that a good image quality of printed image or printing image can be obtained when the printed image or the printing image is created. The image data after the set up is once stored in a predetermined file for the successive processing.
To obtain image data through reading an image using the scanner, one or a plurality of photographs or one or a plurality of original images are placed on the reading surface of the scanner, and first the reading surface is read in its entirety with a rough resolution so that image data, which is rough throughout the reading surface, is created. Here, this reading is referred to as an xe2x80x9centire scanxe2x80x9d. The entire image based on the image data obtained through the entire scan is displayed on a display screen of an image display unit such as a CRT display. An operator operates a mouse or a keyboard to designate an image area in which an original image is actually placed on the reading surface of the scanner, of the entire image displayed on the display screen.
When an operator designates an image area, an image reading is performed with high resolution only for the designated image area, so that image data of high resolution only for the designated image area is created. This reading is referred to a xe2x80x9cfine scanxe2x80x9d. Image data of high resolution obtained through the fine scan is used in editing for creating the printed matter.
Hitherto, for a series of processing of reading of original image by the scanner, set up, and storage of image data after the set up, as mentioned above, there is always needed an operation by an operator in halfway of such a series of processing. This imposes large burden on the operator.
As a main operation by an operator in halfway of a series of processing, there is raised an operation for designation of an area of an original placed on the reading surface of the scanner. That is, as mentioned above, an area of the original image is designated by an operation of an operator at the stage when the rough image, which is obtained by the entire scan, is displayed on the display screen. To designate the image area, when a plurality of original images is disposed on the reading surface of the scanner, there is a need to perform a designation of the image area on each of the original image. Further, in the event that the original image is placed obliquely with respect to the reading surface of the scanner, there is a need to designate the slanted image area, and it often happens that a number of sheets of original images is read while the entire scan and the fine scan are sequentially repeated. The designation of such an image area is a great burden for an operator.
In order to reduce a burden of the operator, there is performed a trial in which an image area is automatically detected in accordance with image data obtained through reading from the reading surface of the scanner (cf. Japanese Patent Publication Tokuhyou 2000-508461). According to a method disclosed in this publication, a straight line corresponding to the outline of the original image is detected by a combination of binarizing image data and technology of Haff transformation.
However, a number of straight lines exists on not only the outline of the original image but also inside the image, and thus there is a large possibility of erroneous detection. For example, when the original image is placed on the reading surface of the scanner, in order to avoid such a situation that the original image is inadvertently read in form of an indistinct image owing to a flare due to irradiation of light for reading the original image and a light flog occurring when a stray light enters the image reading sensor, it is a well-worn device that the original image is placed on a black sheet of which a size is larger than the original image and the original image placed on the black sheet is placed on the reading surface of the scanner. In this case, however, according to the method of the above-mentioned Japanese Publication, there is a high possibility that the outline of the black sheet, but not the outline of the original, is inadvertently detected.
Incidentally, here, it is explained that first the entire scan is performed to detect an image area in accordance with image data obtained through the entire scan. However, also in the event that from the beginning a great accuracy of reading is performed throughout the reading surface of the scanner without distinction of the entire scan and the fine scan and then the area of the image is cut out, the same problem as mentioned above occurs at the time of detection of the image area for cut out of the image area. Thus, this obliges the operator to perform the same operation for cutting off the image area.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image outline determination method of capable of determining an outline of an original image placed on a reading surface of a scanner with great accuracy, an image outline determination apparatus, and an image outline determination program storage medium storing an image outline determination program which causes a computer to operate as such an image outline determination apparatus capable of determining an outline of an original image with great accuracy.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image input apparatus capable of performing the above-mentioned series of processing upon reducing the operator""s burden, and an image input program storage medium storing an image input program which causes a computer to operate as such an image input apparatus capable of performing the above-mentioned series of processing upon reducing the operator""s burden.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an image outline determination method of determining an outline of an original image placed on a reading surface of a scanner in accordance with image data obtained by the scanner, said image outline determination method comprising:
an area designation step of designating a rectangular proposed area of which at least portion enters into an area of the original image placed on the reading surface; and
an outline determination step of determining the outline of the original image by repeating a plurality of number of times an area alteration processing in which a movement of sides defining an outline of the proposed area outside or inside the proposed area is determined in accordance with differential or difference of image data for vicinity of the sides, and the proposed area is altered in accordance with a decision of the movement, said area alteration processing being repeated taking an area after the proposed area is altered as a new proposed area.
According to the image outline determination method of the present invention as mentioned above, a rectangular proposed area, of which at least portion enters into an area of the original image placed on the reading surface, is designated, and an alteration of the proposed area is repeated in accordance with differential or difference of image data for vicinity of the sides defining an outline of the proposed area outside or inside the proposed area. This feature makes it possible to determine the outline of the original image with greater accuracy, since the proposed area is gradually coincident with the area of the original image.
In the image outline determination method according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said outline determination step is a step in which said area alteration processing is replaced by an alternative area alteration processing in which a movement of sides defining an outline of the proposed area outside or inside the proposed area is determined in accordance with differential or difference of image data for vicinity of the sides and in addition a rotation of the proposed area in a normal direction or in a reversed direction is determined, and the proposed area is altered in accordance with a decision of the movement and the rotation, said alternative area alteration processing being repeated.
Including additionally the rotation of the new proposed area for the alteration of the proposed area makes it possible to determine the outline of the original image with greater accuracy, even if the original image is placed slantwise on the reading surface of the scanner.
It is noted that the image outline determination method of the present invention includes all the aspects which are implemented using the image outline determination apparatus or the image outline determination program as set forth below.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an image outline determination apparatus for determining an outline of an original image placed on a reading surface of a scanner in accordance with image data obtained by the scanner, said image outline determination apparatus comprising:
an area designation section for designating a rectangular proposed area of which at least portion enters into an area of the original image placed on the reading surface; and
an outline determination section for determining the outline of the original image by repeating a plurality of number of times an area alteration processing in which a movement of sides defining an outline of the proposed area outside or inside the proposed area is determined in accordance with differential or difference of image data for vicinity of the sides, and the proposed area is altered in accordance with a decision of the movement, said area alteration processing being repeated taking an area after the proposed area is altered as a new proposed area.
In the image outline determination apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said area alteration processing is a processing in which an average value of four partial segments is determined for each side where two segments parallel to an associated side and having a substantially same length as the associated side are divided into two parts at the center for each side with respect to differential or difference of image data along the two segments for each side in the vicinity of the associated side, and a movement of the associated side outside or inside the proposed area is determined in accordance with a combination of four average values for each side.
Repetition of the area alteration processing makes it possible to determine the outline of the original image with greater accuracy.
In the image outline determination apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said area alteration processing determines the movement of the associated side outside or inside the proposed area for each side, and moves the side determined in movement by a movement distance set to a mutually different value for each side.
This feature makes it possible to avoid such an erroneous detection that when a proposed area is sequentially altered, it is easy to shift the central point or the center of gravity of the proposed area, and thereby bringing a pseudo stability before coincidence with the area of the original image, so that the outline of the S original image is erroneously determined. Thus, according to the present invention, it is possible to determine the outline of the original image with greater accuracy.
In the image outline determination apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said outline determination section determines beforehand a history of a coordinate value of a representative point of a proposed area to be sequentially altered, while said area alteration processing is repeated, and detects a vibration of an alteration of the proposed area to be sequentially altered in accordance with the history, and when the vibration is detected, said outline determination section alters an amount of movement of a respective side in said area alteration processing to a smaller value and repeats said area alteration processing.
Here, the xe2x80x9cvibration of an alteration of the proposed areaxe2x80x9d implies that the position and the size of the proposed area are repeated alternately or in a short period, for example, in such manner that it is repeated that as a result of an alteration of a proposed area a position and a geometry of the proposed area are varied, as a result of an alteration of a proposed area varied in its position and its geometry of the proposed area the proposed is returned to the former position and geometry, and as a result of an alteration of the proposed area returned to the former the proposed area is varied again to the previous position and geometry, or as a result of repetition of an alteration of a proposed area the proposed are is expanded in some times and thereafter is reduced in some times and is expanded in some times.
As mentioned above, in the event that the vibration is detected, an amount of movement of a respective side in the area alteration processing is altered to a smaller value and the area alteration processing is repeated. This feature makes it possible that the outline of the proposed area to be sequentially altered is coincident with the outline of the original image with greater accuracy.
In the image outline determination apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said outline determination section extracts image data correlated with brightness of respective points of an image from the image data obtained by said scanner and determines the movement of the sides outside or inside the proposed area in accordance with the image data correlated with the brightness.
The use of the image data correlated with the brightness makes it possible to perform the general-purpose of processing which is applicable to the various types of original images.
In the image outline determination apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said outline determination section is a section in which said area alteration processing is replaced by an alternative area alteration processing in which a movement of sides defining an outline of the proposed area outside or inside the proposed area is determined in accordance with differential or difference of image data for vicinity of the sides and in addition a rotation of the proposed area in a normal direction or in a reversed direction is determined, and the proposed area is altered in accordance with a decision of the movement and the rotation, said alternative area alteration processing being repeated.
Also in this case, it is preferable that said area alteration processing is a processing in which an average value of four partial segments is determined for each side where two segments parallel to an associated side and having a substantially same length as the associated side are divided into two parts at the center for each side with respect to differential or difference of image data along the two segments for each side in the vicinity of the associated side, and a movement of the associated side outside or inside the proposed area and a rotation of the proposed area in a normal direction or in a reversed direction is determined in accordance with a combination of four average values for each side.
And it is preferable that said outline determination section determines beforehand a history of a coordinate value of a representative point of a proposed area to be sequentially altered, while said area alteration processing is repeated, and detects a vibration of an alteration of the proposed area to be sequentially altered in accordance with the history, and when the vibration is detected, said outline determination section alters an amount of movement of a respective side in said area alteration processing and an amount of rotation of the proposed area to a smaller value and repeats said area alteration processing.
Further, it is preferable that said outline determination section extracts image data correlated with brightness of respective points of an image from the image data obtained by said scanner and determines the movement of the sides outside or inside the proposed area and the rotation of the proposed area in a normal direction or in a reversed direction in accordance with the image data correlated with the brightness.
In the image outline determination apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, while it is acceptable that said area designation section designates a proposed area in accordance with an operator""s instruction, for example, an operator designates a central one point of the original image, or alternatively an operator designates two points representative of the approximate position and size of the original image, it is preferable that said area designation section determines an average value of differential or difference of image data for a plurality of areas on the reading surface and designates the proposed area in accordance with the average value.
This feature makes it possible to designate the proposed area without an operator""s operation.
Incidentally, in the event that the rotation of the proposed area is included for the alteration of the proposed area, the xe2x80x9cvibration of an alteration of the proposed areaxe2x80x9d includes in addition to the vibration of the position and the size of the proposed area a vibration as to the rotation, for example, a matter that the posture of the proposed area is varied alternately or in a short period in such a manner that as a result of repetition of an alteration of a proposed area the proposed area rotates one or several number of times in a normal direction, and thereafter the proposed area rotates one or several number of times in the reversed direction and rotates one or several number of times in the normal reversed direction.
Further, in the image outline determination apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that when a plurality of original images are simultaneously placed on the reading surface, said area designation section designates, upon receipt of a decision of the outline of the original image by said outline determination section, a new proposed area associated with an original image different from the original image determined in an outline by said outline determination section at a position out of the outline of the original image determined by said outline determination section, on the reading surface, and
said outline determination section restarts, upon receipt of the new proposed area by said area designation section, a repetition of said area alteration processing.
Alternate effect of the area designation section and the outline determination section makes it possible to determine the respective outlines of a plurality of original images even if the plurality of original images is simultaneously placed on the reading surface of the scanner.
To achieve the above-mentioned object of the present invention, there is provided an image outline determination program storage medium storing an image outline determination program which causes a computer to operate as an image outline determination apparatus for determining an outline of an original image placed on a reading surface of a scanner in accordance with image data obtained by the scanner, said image outline determination program stored in said image outline determination program storage medium comprising:
an area designation section for designating a rectangular proposed area of which at least portion enters into an area of the original image placed on the reading surface; and
an outline determination section for determining the outline of the original image by repeating a plurality of number of times an area alteration processing in which a movement of sides defining an outline of the proposed area outside or inside the proposed area is determined in accordance with differential or difference of image data for vicinity of the sides, and the proposed area is altered in accordance with a decision of the movement, said area alteration processing being repeated taking an area after the proposed area is altered as a new proposed area.
In the image outline determination program storage medium according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said area alteration processing is a processing in which an average value of four partial segments is determined for each side where two segments parallel to an associated side and having a substantially same length as the associated side are divided into two parts at the center for each side with respect to differential or difference of image data along the two segments for each side in the vicinity of the associated side, and a movement of the associated side outside or inside the proposed area is determined in accordance with a combination of four average values for each side.
In the image outline determination program storage medium according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said area alteration processing determines the movement of the associated side outside or inside the proposed area for each side, and moves the side determined in movement by a movement distance set to a mutually different value for each side.
In the image outline determination apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said outline determination section determines beforehand a history of a coordinate value of a representative point of a proposed area to be sequentially altered, while said area alteration processing is repeated, and detects a vibration of an alteration of the proposed area to be sequentially altered in accordance with the history, and when the vibration is detected, said outline determination section alters an amount of movement of a respective side in said area alteration processing to a smaller value and repeats said area alteration processing.
Here, a definition of the xe2x80x9cvibration of an alteration of the proposed areaxe2x80x9d is the same as that in the image outline determination apparatus of the present invention as mentioned above. And thus the redundant explanation will be omitted.
In the image outline determination program storage medium according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said outline determination section extracts image data correlated with brightness of respective points of an image from the image data obtained by said scanner and determines the movement of the sides outside or inside the proposed area in accordance with the image data correlated with the brightness.
In the image outline determination program storage medium according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said outline determination section is a section in which said area alteration processing is replaced by an alternative area alteration processing in which a movement of sides defining an outline of the proposed area outside or inside the proposed area is determined in accordance with differential or difference of image data for vicinity of the sides and in addition a rotation of the proposed area in a normal direction or in a reversed direction is determined, and the proposed area is altered in accordance with a decision of the movement and the rotation, said alternative area alteration processing being repeated.
Also in this case, in a similar fashion to the above, in the image outline determination program storage medium according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said area alteration processing is a processing in which an average value of four partial segments is determined for each side where two segments parallel to an associated side and having a substantially same length as the associated side are divided into two parts at the center for each side with respect to differential or difference of image data along the two segments for each side in the vicinity of the associated side, and a movement of the associated side outside or inside the proposed area is determined in accordance with a combination of four average values for each side.
In the image outline determination program storage medium according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said outline determination section determines beforehand a history of a coordinate value of a representative point of a proposed area to be sequentially altered, while said area alteration processing is repeated, and detects a vibration of an alteration of the proposed area to be sequentially altered in accordance with the history, and when the vibration is detected, said outline determination section alters an amount of movement of a respective side in said area alteration processing to a smaller value and repeats said area alteration processing.
In the image outline determination program storage medium according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said outline determination section extracts image data correlated with brightness of respective points of an image from the image data obtained by said scanner and determines the movement of the sides outside or inside the proposed area in accordance with the image data correlated with the brightness.
In the image outline determination program storage medium according to the present invention as mentioned above, while it is acceptable that said area designation section designates a proposed area in accordance with an operator""s instruction, in a similar fashion to that of the outline determination apparatus, it is preferable that said area designation section determines an average value of differential or difference of image data for a plurality of areas on the reading surface and designates the proposed area in accordance with the average value.
Further, in the image outline determination program storage medium according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that when a plurality of original images are simultaneously placed on the reading surface, said area designation section designates, upon receipt of a decision of the outline of the original image by said outline determination section, a new proposed area associated with an original image different from the original image determined in an outline by said outline determination section at a position out of the outline of the original image determined by said outline determination section, on the reading surface, and
said outline determination section restarts, upon receipt of the new proposed area by said area designation section, a repetition of said area alteration processing.
To achieve the above-mentioned object of the present invention, there is provided an image input apparatus comprising:
a scanner control section for controlling a scanner by a control signal, said scanner having a reading surface on which an original image is placed to be read and generating image data through reading the reading surface when said scanner receives the control signal;
an image input section for receiving the image data generated by said scanner;
an image recognition section for recognizing an outline of an original image placed on the reading surface in accordance with the image data obtained through reading throughout the reading surface, which is fed to said image input section;
an image transformation section for performing a transformation of image data inside an image area encircled by the outline of the original image recognized by said image recognition section into reproduction image data to output a reproduction image in which image quality is adjusted by an output device for outputting the reproduction image in accordance with the reproduction image data;
an image storage section for storing the reproduction image data obtained by said image transformation section;
a start handler for instructing a start of reading of an original image; and
an operation control section responsive to an operation of said start handler for continuously performing a series of operations of a control for said scanner by said scanner control section, a receipt of the image data by said image input section, a recognition of the outline of the original image by said image recognition section, a transformation into the reproduction image data by said image transformation section, and a storage of the reproduction image data by said image storage section, said series operations being performed without being subjected to an operation by an operator halfway.
According to the image input apparatus of the present invention as mentioned above, particularly there is provided the image recognition section so that the outline of the original image placed on the reading surface is recognized in accordance with the image data. This feature makes it possible to avoid necessity of an operation for designating an area of an original image by an operator. Further, according to the image input apparatus of the present invention, a set-up is performed by the image transformation section, and the reproduction image data after the set-up is stored. This feature makes it possible to continuously perform a series of processing of a control of the scanner, reading of image data, recognition of an outline of an original image, a transformation (set-up) to reproduction image data, and storage of the reproduction image data.
In the image input apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is acceptable that said scanner has a first reading mode in which said reading surface is roughly read to generate a first image data of relatively low resolution, and a second reading mode in which said reading surface is finely read to generate a second image data of relatively high resolution,
said operation control section causes, upon receipt of an operation of said start handler by an operator,
said scanner control section to send to said scanner a first control signal to perform a reading in the first reading mode,
said image input section to receive the first image data obtained in the first reading mode by said scanner,
said image recognition section to recognize an outline of an original image in accordance with the first image data,
said scanner control section to send to said scanner a second control signal to perform a reading in the second reading mode,
said image input section to receive the second image data obtained in the second reading mode by said scanner,
said image transformation section to transform the second image data inside the image area encircled by the outline of the original image recognized by said image recognition section in accordance with the first image data into the reproduction image data, and
said image storage section to store the reproduction image data transformed from the second image data.
To achieve the above-mentioned object of the present invention, there is provided an image input program storage medium storing an image input program which causes a computer to operate as an image input apparatus for receiving image data obtained by a scanner having a reading surface on which an original image is placed to be read, said scanner generating the image data through reading the reading surface when said scanner receives a control signal, said image input program stored in said image input program storage medium comprising:
a scanner control section for controlling said scanner by a control signal;
an image input section for receiving the image data generated by said scanner;
an image recognition section for recognizing an outline of an original image placed on the reading surface in accordance with the image data obtained through reading throughout the reading surface, which is fed to said image input section;
an image transformation section for performing a transformation of image data inside an image area encircled by the outline of the original image recognized by said image recognition section into reproduction image data to output a reproduction image in which image quality is adjusted by an output device for outputting the reproduction image in accordance with the reproduction image data;
an image storage section for storing the reproduction image data obtained by said image transformation section;
a start handler display section for displaying a start handler for instructing a start of reading of an original image; and
an operation control section responsive to an operation of said start handler for continuously performing a series of operations of a control for reading of said scanner by said scanner control section, a receipt of the image data by said image input section, a recognition of the outline of the original image by said image recognition section, a transformation into the reproduction image data by said image transformation section, and a storage of the reproduction image data by said image storage section, said series operations being performed without being subjected to an operation by an operator halfway.
In the image input program storage medium according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is acceptable that said scanner has a first reading mode in which said reading surface is roughly read to generate a first image data of relatively low resolution, and a second reading mode in which said reading surface is finely read to generate a second image data of relatively high resolution,
said operation control section causes, upon receipt of an operation of said start handler by an operator,
said scanner control section to send to said scanner a first control signal to perform a reading in the first reading mode,
said image input section to receive the first image data obtained in the first reading mode by said scanner,
said image recognition section to recognize an outline of an original image in accordance with the first image data,
said scanner control section to send to said scanner a second control signal to perform a reading in the second reading mode,
said image input section to receive the second image data obtained in the second reading mode by said scanner,
said image transformation section to transform the second image data inside the image area encircled by the outline of the original image recognized by said image recognition section in accordance with the first image data into the reproduction image data, and
said image storage section to store the reproduction image data transformed from the second image data.
as mentioned above, according to the image input apparatus of the present invention or the image input program stored in the image input program storage medium, it is possible to perform a series of processing from reading of an original image to set-up and storage of image data after the set-up.